Low-Noise Cryogenic Amplifier built using Hybrid MMIC-like / TRL Technique

• HEMT cryogenic low-noise amplifiers are an important part of instrumentation: the amplifiersuse as a front-end for different measurements and as IF amplifiers in heterodyne receivers.During last few years the low-noise limit has reached as low level as approximately 0.5 K/GHzfor GaAs [1] and 0.25 K/GHz for InP HEMT [2]. However, besides electrical performanceimprovement there were not many improvements on mass and dimension side of suchamplifiers as they were built based on standard TRL technology with discrete active andpassive components. Mass and dimensions are also very important for real applications. Whenultimate low-noise performance is placed in focus, pure MMIC technology seems to looseagainst design using discrete components. With this in view, pioneered work by E. F. Lauria,et. al. [3] have successfully demonstrated a design employing MMIC approach while usingdiscrete components and based on a microstrip on Cuflon with lumped bias network.Encouraged by this work, we propose a compact design of a 4-8 GHz cryogenic low noiseamplifier using a combination of standard TRL and lumped element technology to achieveboth ultimate noise performance over the specified band and a very compact size. In ourdesign, the size reduction of the amplifier is realized by selecting an alumina substrate with ahigh dielectric constant, (εr = 9.9), but also by taking advantage of the lumped networks in thematching and bias circuitries. Avoiding quarter wave transformers and instead use a lumpedelement design approach opens up for the possibilities to reach greater bandwidths andsimultaneously obtain a more compact design. In order to make optimum design, we haveperformed extensive simulations. Each amplifier stage has been simulated in Agilent EMDS,3D electromagnetic field simulation package, including the single layer capacitors, and thenimplemented in the ADS circuit simulations as an S-parameter file. Over the 4-8 GHz band, thesimulations predict noise temperature, Taverage 35 dB. The transistors selected for the design are commercial InP HEMT (HRL) chosendue to their excellent noise performance [2], but also for the very low power consumption,which is of great importance at cryogenic temperatures. All the components used in the RFsignalpath and in the bias circuits are mounted with conductive epoxy. Apart from the RFsignalpath, all components are interconnected via bond-wires. Fine tuning is done by adjustingthe length and loop heights of the bond-wires. At the conference we plan to report results ofmeasurement and characterization of the prototype amplifier.REFERENCES:[1] C Risacher, et. al., “Low Noise and Low Power Consumption Cryogenic Amplifiers forOnsala and Apex Telescopes”, Proceedings of Gaas 2004, October 2004, Amsterdam.[2] N. Wadefalk, et. al., “Cryogenic Wide-Band Ultra-Low Noise IF Amplifier Operating atUltra-Low DC-Power”, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. MTT-51, no. 6 June 2003.[3] E. F. Lauria, et. al., “A 200-300 GHz SIS Mixer-Preamplifier with 8 GHz IF Bandwidth”,2001 IEEE International Microwave Symposium, Phoenix, AZ, May 2001.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Low-noise cryogenic amplifier

InP HEMT

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